


The Longest Winter

by Bl4ckHunter



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-05-01 19:56:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14528031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bl4ckHunter/pseuds/Bl4ckHunter
Summary: Still haunted by his past, Bucky decides to set things right and make up for his sins by trying to bury the demons that haunt him. Set between CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR and AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR





	1. The First Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunt for one of sleeper agents, that survived and that Bucky had trained, begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note and Disclaimer:
> 
> An idea I got when re-watching Captain America: Civil War and reading some Winter Soldier comic books. The pairing here will be Bucky/Natasha. For my opinion on the pairing, read my bio on FF
> 
> This is set between Captain America: Civil War before Bucky went into stasis in Wakanda and Avengers: Infinity War. Just so there's no confusion, imagine that for now, Bucky has a different bionic arm from T'Challa as a temporary solution.
> 
> I do not own anything in Marvel Cinematic Universe.

As they started to mingle, the man blended in with the crowd looked around. " _We need to be sure. Is he here?_ "

"Steve, our intel checks." The red-haired woman said.

"I know how these guys work." The other man with long hair said.

" _Be careful, Buck, if they recognize you, we're done._ "

"Steve, I know what I'm doing." Bucky assured him before they saw someone going upstairs.

"He's heading your way." Natasha said.

* * *

The man went out from the window and was on the ledge, carefully walking by the wall to the next room before someone jumped down from above and knocked him on the balcony. They traded blows for a moment before the man on the ground kicked the other man back and jumped down. The man on the ground got up and looked down from the balcony and groaned. "Damn it. He got away."

" _Maybe we can…_ "

" _Forget it, like I said, these guys know how to blend in. We won't find him. At least the Chancellor is safe._ "

"Bucky. You know how they think. When do you think he's gonna hit next?" Steve asked.

" _I'm sure that tonight he won't try it again._ " Bucky said. " _But we need to keep our eyes peeled._ "

* * *

**_Later_ **

Steve, Natasha and Bucky were in one of Natasha's safe houses as they went over the folders on the desk.

"OK, so asides from the dead Winter Soldiers in Siberia, you said that there are three missing." Steve said.

"And someone got to them before Zemo." Bucky said. "And using them as their puppets."

"We're just running in blind, trying to catch our prize, Steve." Natasha groaned. "We have no idea who are we fighting."

"They are the best killers that HYDRA has ever programmed." Bucky pointed out. "If we won't stop them soon, maybe it'll be worse than how it's been going down for the past seventy years."

"It wasn't your fault, Buck." Steve assured him.

"But it's my responsibility." Bucky said. "I  _trained_  them. I need to stop them."

* * *

Bucky looked outside the window, looking at the arm he had gotten replaced by T'Challa. "This just reminds me of how many lives I've…" He closed his eyes.

"You can't blame yourself. It wasn't you, Bucky." Natasha assured him.

"That changes nothing about the fact that I killed them." Bucky pointed out. "I keep seeing all their faces… Sometimes I wish I had died back in D.C. Or in Siberia…"

"You're not that person anymore." Natasha pointed out as she held his shoulder.

"It's still all in my head!" Bucky snapped. "What they planted into me, what Zemo ordered me to do, I'm still that monster!" He whirled on Natasha but stopped himself upon realizing his mistake. "I'm sorry, I…"

Natasha sighed. "You're not the only one with blood on his hands and wishing you had not been that person. You can't keep this bottled inside you." Bucky just looked at her impassively. "All I'm saying is that you don't have to do this alone. Steve and I are here for you. If you let us."

"So, you don't blame me?" Bucky asked. "For shooting you?"

Natasha sighed again. "I can't blame someone you're not. You don't have to let your past define you anymore. You can be something better than that."

"And how do you know that?" Bucky asked.

"Because I've been where you're at." Natasha said. "Just think about it."

Bucky stared at her before sighing. "You may have a point there."

"Bucky, if you ever need to talk, I'll listen and I won't judge. I know what it's like to be just… a puppet." Natasha said as she left, leaving Bucky alone there with his thoughts.

* * *

**_Elsewhere_ **

A bearded man was drinking his glass of wine as another woman sat in front of him. "I just hope these sleeper agents are as effective as you said they would be."

"You see, back in Cold War there was a theory that one man, in the right place, at the right time could be better than any army. We're lucky we salvaged some of the Winter Soldiers before Zemo disposed of the rest of them."

"But are you sure that three are enough?" The woman asked.

"My dear, with the right people at your side, a small group can overpower any army, no matter how large." The bearded man said as he looked at the three people frozen in cryo-stasis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think? Is it good? Is it bad? Should I continue?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this.
> 
> With regards
> 
> Bl4ckHunter


	2. A Bitter Pill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunt for Winter Soldiers continues as Natasha tries to get through Bucky and help him with his guilt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything in Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"Look, things just got a lot more complicated." Maria Hill said as she entered the safe house. "An attempt on life of Russian Prime Minister Olshenko was made just after 0800 hours in front of the U.N. embassy in Berlin. Prime Minister demands satisfaction but luckily, the U.N. was able to stall him by showing him a single image." She showed them a photo of a man on rooftop. "Security took this in the building across the street. They couldn't I.D. him but I assume this face means something to you, Barnes?" Hill asked as Steve and Natasha turned to Bucky.

Bucky took a closer look and groaned upon memories flashing. "Yeah. I remember him. Arkady. Former Spetsnaz. Vicious bastard before he went through the Winter Soldier program with the rest of them."

"OK, so we've got three semi-intelligent gorillas that someone's using to spread chaos across the globe." Steve drawled. "And the first sleeper tried to attack on U.N. territory. How does that all add up?"

"We confiscated the files Zemo stole from Karpov after he had killed him. There's someone else, who was consulting on the mental programming. Dr. Ivan Kragoff."

"The Red Ghost." Natasha said. "I remember him. Great mind. Even greater disregard for human life and morality. He's the one, who…" She closed her eyes. "Who made sure I was an efficient Black Widow."

Bucky tensed as he realized what did she mean.  _Sterilizing her…_

"Look, anyone, who would try to as much as pull out an RPG on Olshenko, would just piss him off." Hill said. "Nobody's this stupid to try that, Olshenko's a very resourceful man."

"Unless it was intentional." Bucky pointed out. "An inciting incident instead of a murder."

"But who else had access to Winter Soldier program to even know how to control them?" Steve asked.

"Zemo didn't take, he said nothing." Hill said as Steve groaned.

* * *

**_Elsewhere_ **

" _Longing. Rusted. Seventeen. Daybreak. Furnace. Nine. Benign. Homecoming. One. Freight Car_ _._ " An elderly man said in Russian as on the slab was a muscular man, who woke up, staring blankly at the ceiling.

" _Ready to comply._ " He said.

"You are in America now, my friend. Speak in English." The elderly man said.

"What are your orders?" The muscular man as he sat down.

"Bring about change."

* * *

**_Steve's safe house_ **

"Who else knew about the Winter Soldiers?" Natasha asked as Bucky was going through the intel on computer.

"I'm trying to go through everything we found in Siberia and what I do remember but all these people are either missing or dead."

"Bucky." Steve interrupted him. "Maybe we should stop looking for all the people that knew about the program but focus more on who would know how to control them. Someone, who knew the trigger words and activation program."

Bucky realized Steve had a point as he tried to remember… and then, it hit him.

* * *

**_Chicago_ **

"Final bid, forty million dollars." The auctioneer said as he showed them a large armor.

"Hammer Tech." Steve whispered, blending in with the bidders. "Tony told me it's a little down his level."

"You have no idea." Natasha murmured at the bar. "You have no idea how easy they were to hack for me and Vanko."

"And our next item is Pym Particle…"

"OK, I think that's our cue." Steve snapped as he threw over a table and pulled out a gun. "Nobody move, this is a raid!"

The guards engaged Steve but Natasha jumped at one of them and knocked him on the floor, while Bucky grabbed another one by his throat and slammed him to the ground, while Steve managed to fend off two remaining guards before they started to chase an elderly bald man before they caught up with him in a back alley as Bucky pinned him to the wall.

"You… what do you…"

"Three sleeper agents went missing." Bucky sneered.

"And we know that  _you_  sold the activation codes for them. For who?" Natasha demanded.

"I don't know his name. But… it was an old man. Some Russian scientist." The man answered.

"That's nothing new." Steve snapped. "Who was he with?"

"That's all I know!" The man begged.

"Are you sure?" Natasha narrowed her eyes as she pulled out a knife and neared it to his throat.

"OK, OK, stop." The man said. "There was someone else with her. Lucia von Bardas. Prime Minister of Sokovia. I don't know why did they want them, I swear!"

Bucky grunted as he let the man go.

* * *

"So, we've got a radical politician and an unknown Russian possessing three Winter Soldiers." Hill said.

"Why would they want them?" Natasha asked.

"What do we know about von Bardas and Kragoff?" Steve inquired.

"Just that Kragoff went off the grid after we leaked S.H.I.E.L.D. files in D.C. two years ago." Hill pointed out. "As for von Bardas… well, her associates had ties to Hydra, our intel suggests they supplied Strucker with the technology he needed to study Loki's scepter and create weapons in Sokovia. I thought we had her, when you destroyed Strucker's compound and retrieved the scepter. She must have slipped away somehow. But, this should pique your interest." She raised her hands as on the table showed the intel on computer. "If your guy's intel is correct, they're in New York now. They're still dealing with the fallout from Vienna."

"The meeting with Austrian chancellor…" Steve realized. "

"Should we…" Natasha spoke up.

"No, Tony might not make it in time."

"If they catch us there, we'll end up in Raft and this time we won't get out." Bucky protested.

"It's our only play." Steve said. "Get in and out quickly before they realize who intervened. Where's von Bardas now?"

* * *

**_Austrian Embassy, New York_ **

Steve and Natasha in disguise were scouring the area as they looked around to see a young woman with dark hair.

"I have eyes on von Bardas and the chancellor." Natasha said.

* * *

"There are two ways they can do it. Either sniping from outside or blending in with the employees and wait for their opportunity." Bucky said as he was on the rooftop, looking with his goggles.

* * *

Steve was eying the employees in the office levels, disguised as janitor, until he noticed one acting oddly… unfortunately, the man also noticed Steve and pulled out an SMG as people screamed and scattered around in panic as the man started to shoot.

"Take cover!" Steve yelled. "Get inside the offices and don't open the door!"

He started to chase his target, who jumped out the window on the opposite rooftop as he faced Bucky.

"You…" The man said in recognition. "You're dead…" For a moment, he stared at Bucky with no emotion.  _Maybe Bucky could reach him…_

But, the man pulled out a knife and attacked as Bucky blocked with his metal arm. " _You traitor!_ " The man yelled in Russian.

He tried to stab Bucky but Bucky kept on blocking with his swift reflexes before he had the knife against the assassin. "Don't make me do this." They struggled for a moment as the soldier didn't relent and Bucky was forced to drive the knife through his chest as the man gulped and gagged, coughing out blood as he collapsed on the floor.

" _What was your mission? Where's your handler?_ " Bucky demanded in Russian.

"Latverian Alps…" The soldier choked out before succumbing to his injuries.

* * *

**_Later_ **

"What was in the Alps?" Natasha asked.

"Covert nuclear missile silo." Hill said. "von Bardas had been a long-time protester of U.S./Latveria diplomatic ties. If she had gotten her way and the embassy blew up, it would be a reason for Latveria for retaliation."

"Our Winter Soldier also had a bomb as contingency in the lobby." Steve said. "But the moment things were going south, their security found it."

"We just prevented a war." Hill said.

"But it's not over yet." Bucky sighed. "There are two more human weapons in our enemy's possession and we don't know who it is."

"Even two Winter Soldiers can make for a terrorist superpower." Natasha said.

"We'll find them." Steve said optimistically.

* * *

" _Bucky Barnes, who had been believed dead for seventy years, is still at large for suspicions of bombing in Vienna…_ "

" _Tony Stark refused to comment on why hasn't Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America, been brought in to answer for the escape of their comrades and the confrontation at the airport few weeks ago…_ "

Bucky turned off the TV as he closed his eyes.

"Why are you watching this garbage?" Natasha asked as he turned around, not even noticing she was at the door.

"How long have you been there?" Bucky asked.

"Long enough to know that it's still haunting you." Natasha said. "Don't punish yourself like that. It doesn't help. Trust me."

Bucky sighed. "I don't know what to do to shake it off. Every time I close my eyes, it all flashes in front of me. I see myself training them to kill with precision and skill. How to talk and walk like an American or whatever they need to be… no matter what I do, it still has a hold of me. And then, me fighting you in Berlin…"

"That was Zemo. Not you." Natasha pleaded as she neared him. "Stop blaming yourself. Or it's gonna eat you up from the inside." She held his hand. "Remember that you don't have to be that person anymore."

"I don't know how to be something else than that." Bucky pointed out.

"Start by trying to be better." Natasha smiled. "That's the first step."

Bucky smiled. "I've never let someone in like that. Ever."

"So, there never was…" Natasha paused.

Bucky sighed. "If there was, I honestly don't remember. Not even sure if I want to, since for all I know, she's on deathbed now."

"And you didn't try to… even after D.C.?" Natasha asked.

"I never stayed anywhere for long." Bucky sighed. "Who would I trust? I wasn't sure what I wanted. Or needed. Except for remembering who I was."

"But now you remember everything." Natasha pointed out. "It's not too late to start over."

Bucky smiled. "Why are you helping me?"

"Because you're Steve's best friend. And he's like a brother to me." Natasha said. "And like I told you, I've been where you're at."

For a moment they stared at each other as Natasha held his breast and next thing either of them knew, they kissed fiercely as Bucky pinned Natasha against the wall as he took off her top as she unbuttoned his shirt and they laid down on bed as Bucky gently ran his fingers down Natasha's back and unclipped her bra…

* * *

Natasha yawned as she slowly opened her eyes, turning her head but noticing that Bucky had finished buttoning his shirt as she got up and pulled the blanket to cover her breasts as she smiled, teasing. "Was it that bad?"

"No, it…" Bucky turned to her, smiling back. "It was fine. Well, to be honest, it was better than anything I could ever have dreamed of."

Natasha then noticed the look in his eyes. "But this is as far as it goes, then?"

Bucky sighed, looking away from her. "I… I began to remember again. All of it. All those people… their faces…" He closed his eyes. "For a moment, it all came flooding at once and…"

Natasha noticed the guilt and pain in his voice. "Bucky, you don't need to keep it bottled inside you. We're here for you."

"You don't understand." Bucky said. "No matter how many times they wiped my memory, it's still buried deep in my mind. Like something crawling out from an abyss. And then it all showed up in a rush… I know I wasn't myself during that but… I still…"

"We can work through this." Natasha pleaded.

Bucky sighed. "I'm sorry, Nat. I… this was a mistake. Forgive me." He walked away, leaving Natasha alone in bed as she looked at him sadly. She could understand… but she had no idea how to help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	3. Closer than Enemies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they keep looking for the Winter Soldiers, unknowing to them, one of them is plotting her revenge against her mentor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything in Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"You bought the activation codes for three Winter Soldiers." Everett Ross said as he was interrogating von Bardas, who was in a small cell, strapped to a chair that limited her movement, so she could not move at all, just like how Bucky and Zemo were restrained. "Where are they? On some kind of mission that we haven't uncovered?"

"Oh, well…" von Bardas smirked. "We sold one of them already but another one… her stasis unit had been empty  _long_  before Zemo found the Hydra base in Siberia. I suppose she could be anywhere by now."

* * *

**_Elsewhere_ **

"Why did we let her go, sir?" A man asked as the elderly man was drinking his vodka.

"She couldn't be reprogrammed and trying to force her into cooperation would be unwise." The elderly man explained. "You know how resilient they are."

"So, we're cutting her loose?"

"She will fulfill her mission on her own terms." The elderly man replied. "Hydra may be gone but her mission of spreading chaos still remains. And we will be there to bring order. The greater the chaos, the stronger the order we can enforce."

* * *

**_Two years ago, Washington D.C._ **

_When her eyes opened, she felt tremors around before the glass shattered and her stasis cell was forced open. All she felt was fear and instinct as the walls and floor were shaking and the ceiling was collapsing. All she could think of was "Run." She ran down the corridor to an elevator that wasn't even responding before she looked at her hands and then down to realize she wasn't wearing any clothes. But that made climbing up through the ducts even easier as she went out and saw the everything around her crumble._

_As she climbed out from the ducts, she looked around to see smoke and rubble and wreckage of Helicarrier as she was wondering what was going on. She was walking down the streets as an officer found her. "Madame, are you alright?"_

_"I… what happened? Where am I?" She asked, confused, realizing she wasn't even remembering her own name._

_"Madame, what happened to you?" The officer asked as he put a jacket on her, covering her body. "Why are you naked?"_

_On instinct and without second thought, the woman grabbed the officer by his throat with her arms and snapped his neck. "I don't know."_

_She grabbed the keys off his belt and entered the car, driving away…_

* * *

**_Present_ **

"Is everything OK between you, guys?" Steve asked Bucky in the dining room as he noticed how Bucky and Natasha seemed to avoid each other.

"Don't worry about it, Steve, it's fine." Bucky said but Steve could tell he was lying but decided not to dig into it.

"So, we know the identity of another sleeper." Steve said as Hill pulled out a file. "This was taken last week. Irina Novokov."

Through Bucky's mind flashed a memory as he groaned.

* * *

**_Years ago_ **

_Bucky was fighting Irina, who dodged and grabbed his metal arm before she threw him as Bucky slid across the floor._

* * *

_"You fought well." Vasily Karpov said as he praised Irina, who nodded._

_"I live to serve our cause."_

* * *

_Bucky and Irina were fighting each other before Irina gained the upper hand and pinned Bucky to the wall as they stared at each other for a few moments before giving in as they kissed fiercely. But, then Karpov entered as they stopped kissing._

_"Sorry." Bucky said._

_"Me too." Irina replied._

_"Comrade Novokov." Karpov called out. "Your mission awaits."_

* * *

_"That woman, where is she?" Bucky asked as he was at the table._

_"Fulfilling her mission, my friend." Alexander Pierce said._

_"I… I need to see her."_

_"You don't need to see her anymore. Don't worry." Pierce said as the HYDRA operatives forced Barnes on a table and attached the pads on his temples, wiping his mind as Bucky screamed out in pain._

* * *

**_Present_ **

"Bucky, you OK?" Steve asked as Bucky seemed to come to his senses.

"What…" Bucky looked at Steve and Natasha while just now remembering what was going on. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine."

"You look like you had a flashback." Natasha said. "Do you remember her?"

Bucky sighed, trying  _not_  to remember. "I remember how she kicked my ass. And that was  _before_  they injected her with the serum alongside the rest of them. I remember she was… fierce and… merciless."

Steve and Natasha looked at each other before turning to Bucky again. "Anything else?" Steve insisted, not sure if Bucky was telling them everything.

"I…" Bucky said. "She's very dangerous, that much I can tell you."

Natasha nodded. "She was one of the deadliest assassins in KGB ten years ago. On top of their most wanted. I fought her once." She pulled her shirt and showed the scar on her hip. "She almost killed me."

"That means we need to be careful around her." Steve realized as Natasha nodded. "Hill has spread some nets to see if there's any signs of Novokov. As for the third one…"

"Yuri Stalenko." Natasha said as she put a file on desk. "I asked my old contacts. Last month they spotted him in Istanbul. And the same day, a car accident killed a president of Malawi."

"That's convenient." Hill said. "And you know what happened after that? A civil war erupted, sending the whole country into chaos. If S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers were still around…"

"There are no Avengers. Not anymore." Steve sighed.

"How are we gonna find him, anyway?" Natasha asked.

"Last known sighting was in Hong Kong. I'll see if I know more." Hill promised.

* * *

Bucky was looking outside the window as Steve approached him. "You've been staring outside for like three hours now."

"I'm thinking." Bucky said. "Where could they have gone?"

"Hill said that Novokov's stasis cell was forced open by the explosion when they found the Hydra compound in D.C. Doesn't look like anyone had activated her."

"Jesus…" Bucky whispered. "Woken up so ungently…"

"Do you know what could she…"

"No." Bucky said. "There was a protocol, when a Winter Soldier was activated. Chemical injections, mental stimulations and scanning… she skipped the whole procedure. Shocked back to life by the explosions. And that's what scares me."

"What?" Steve asked.

"If she was awake for at least two years, why haven't we heard of her?"

* * *

**_Two years ago_ **

_Irina was walking down the street, with long, ruffled dirty hair, travelling across America as nothing made sense anymore. None of the people had the right names. She knew the people were supposed to be on a different position but weren't… Irina kept on travelling, collecting scraps, surviving however she needed to. If someone tried to rape her, they ended up with broken bones and missing teeth at best. Whenever someone offered help, at best, she accepted their money and disappeared once more, at worst, she mugged them, beat them and left them for death. Then, in the news she started to see masked heroes. Men of iron. Men wearing the American flag. Gods with hammers. She couldn't say why but she was drawn to them… and then, as she saw the news mentioning Bucky Barnes, who had been supposedly responsible for the attack in Vienna, she found something she didn't even realize she had been looking for._

* * *

**_Present_ **

"Wasn't there some kind of backup protocol for them?" Natasha asked as Bucky was going through his notes of what he could remember.

"I'm not sure." Bucky said.

"Come on, Buck." Steve insisted. "There must have been some kind of contingency in case of emergency for them. What about you?"

"What do you mean?" Bucky looked up.

"Let's say you go missing during an op for a while. How would Hydra find you? What would you do?" Steve said as it hit Bucky.

"Of course."

"What?" Natasha asked.

"The news. We need to check the news."

"Which ones?" Steve asked.

"All of them!"

* * *

_**Few months ago** _

_"Bucky Barnes was cleared of convictions of bombing in Vienna. However, he and Captain Steven Rogers are wanted for resisting apprehension, when they were supposed to be taken in due to violation of Sokovian accords…"_

_"Can you believe it?" A bearded man asked as the woman poured him a glass of vodka. "The Winter Soldier was committing an American committing crimes against his own men. Our greatest weapon."_

_"I suppose it makes sense." Irina shrugged._

_"So, when I paid the Red Ghost the money for you, he promised me that you would comply." The bearded man said as he started to speak in Russian. "Longing. Rusted. Seventeen. Daybreak. Furnace. Nine. Benign. Homecoming. One. Freight Car. Are you ready to comply?"_

_Irina smirked. "You still think that after all that time you let me sleep, I'm still the same person that you turned into a weapon?"_

_She shot the man in the head before the guards burst in but Irina took cover behind a couch before she precisely shot them all down. "Hydra is finished. But I am not. And I will have my revenge on the one, who has abandoned me." She glared at Bucky's photo on TV._

* * *

**_Present_ **

Bucky, Steve and Natasha entered the room and groaned, covering their noses upon smelling the rotten stench of the dead elderly man. "Damn."

"Looks like he's been dead for a while." Natasha said.

Then, they looked at the file on the desk as Steve tensed before tapping his neck.

"Hill, I think we know where our second Winter Soldier is heading."

" _Where?_ "

"Philadelphia." Steve said. "I'm looking at the manifesto. They ordered a lot of VX nerve gas and equipment that would help them spread the gas."

"Looks like they're gonna use it for a large scale terrorist attack." Natasha paled. "Steve, even in small doses, VX is one of the deadliest chemicals that has ever existed and they have gallons of that stuff."

"We'll stop them." Bucky promised.

* * *

Elsewhere, a young woman was observing across another building with her goggles through the window, noticing Bucky and Natasha.

"Gotcha. My revenge will be so sweet…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	4. Payback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An attempt to stop one of the Winter Soldiers Bucky had trained has an unfortunate outcome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything in Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"She's been busy." Steve said as they looked at the photos of the dead bodies. "In the past two months, she left quite a trail."

"Some of them are former KGB." Natasha pointed out.

"And Hydra." Bucky nodded.

"And are you sure they were working in the Winter Soldier program?" Steve asked as Bucky nodded.

"That or at least provided them with necessary materials they need." Bucky said. "They were mostly freelance, not actual Hydra. Mercenaries, who helped them become who they were."

"And she killed most of them." Natasha said. "Why?"

"Maybe her memory is fractured." Bucky said. "Maybe she doesn't know what she's doing actually. For years she was sleeping and waiting for mission but no one was there to wake her and properly program her."

"And it's like she's walking through a fog." Steve finished. "She knows she has a path to follow but she can't see it."

"So, she's looking for a target." Natasha deduced.

"Bucky, I know we might be pushing but you need to remember more." Steve pleaded. "Please."

Bucky groaned, closing his eyes as he tried to grasp onto anything in his memory during his time as the Winter Soldier.

"Every Winter Soldier, every sleeper had a handler." Bucky remembered. "Someone, who would keep giving instructions to them. But she… she killed her handler. I wonder why…"

"Maybe she wasn't interested in having a handler." Natasha pointed out and then it hit Bucky.

"Oh, my God…"

"What?" Steve and Natasha asked simultaneously.

"How could I not have seen this earlier…" Bucky whispered in realization.

"Bucky, what are you talking about?" Natasha asked.

"This whole time we've been looking at it the wrong way. Thought she was looking for viable targets that could stop Hydra or someone else in their pursuit of power and control." Bucky said. "But think about it. Novokov spent two years having no idea who she was and when she  _wakes up_ , she  _kills_  her handler. Hydra was dismantled, the people she's supposed to serve are gone. The mission she's supposed to achieve, does not exist anymore."

"What's your point, Bucky?" Steve asked.

"She's been trained and programmed to do one thing. Target and assassinate and create chaos and vacuum so that other people can use that to their advantage. That's what she's been doing the whole time." Bucky explained. "She's creating her own mission. She's her own handler from Hydra."

"Wait but we took down Hydra." Natasha protested. "Who would gain from killing politicians and diplomats and other people, if not them?"

"Maybe she's creating a power vacuum, so that someone would take advantage of it." Steve said. "Hydra craves chaos. And someone else might replace them."

"And when that someone shows up, they will have their own Winter Soldier." Bucky finished.

"But that leaves one more Winter Soldier." Natasha said. "Who has him?"

"We don't have time to look for him." Hill said as she entered. "I got her." She turned to Bucky. "Barnes, do you know who Novokov used to be, before Hydra turned her into… well, you?"

Bucky sighed as he tried to remember…

* * *

_**Years ago** _

_"Why are you leaving?" Bucky asked Irina in Russian as she was dressing up for the mission as they finished sparring._

_"Mission." Irina said and it was all that Bucky needed to know as he looked sad. "Good luck." She said in French. "That's what I always say at embassy."_

_"Comrade Novokov, come with me." One of the Hydra agents said as he noticed how they were looking at each other and she neared him. "I think you two need more reconditioning."_

_Irina was confused at first but was programmed to comply as she nodded, reluctantly though as she turned to Bucky one last time as she left._

_Later, Bucky was accompanied to the machine as they wiped his mind once again…_

* * *

_**Present** _

"Translator." Bucky remembered. "I think."

"Translator?" Natasha asked. "Are you sure?"

"Well, you told me that they know thirty languages and can blend in." Steve said. "We need more than that, if you're wrong…"

"Steve, trust me." Bucky pleaded. "If she strikes, I think I know how."

* * *

**_Later, Philadelphia_ **

"Sam, what can you tell me?" Steve asked in the train station as Sam was on the rooftop.

"OK, I see five mercenaries on the trainyard. Looks like they're on stakeout."

"Any eyes on the devices they have?" Natasha asked.

"Negative." Sam replied.

"They could spread them across the city through the railroad and if the nerve gas spreads, casualties could be catastrophic." Steve said.

"We won't let that happen." Bucky promised as he was on a maintenance tower with his rifle, shooting down the mercenaries.

"They have three devices, do you guys remember how to disarm them?" Hill asked.

"Yeah. We memorized the specs." Steve assured her.

* * *

Steve was sneaking in the shadows and knocking out every mercenary in his way and they were no match to his enhanced strength.

"I got you covered, Steve." Bucky promised.

"Just like old times, is it, Buck?" Steve smiled.

"I think Dugan would make a quip about that." Bucky said as Steve laughed as he neared the van and found some device with attached timer.

" _OK, Steve, I'll talk you through._ " Hill said as Steve pulled out some pliers.

* * *

" _Natasha, Sam, I have possible location on the remaining two devices, one is in the tunnel near your position and the last one in the maintenance yard._ "

"We need to split up, it's too much ground to cover." Natasha said as she and Sam were blended in among the people in the train station.

" _If you spot Novokov, don't engage her, Steve and I will handle it._ " Bucky said.

"Copy." Sam said.

* * *

Natasha went outside and climbed on the ladder as she was on the rooftop and found to the airshaft attached a large device with gas dispersal system as she widened her eyes. "Hill, that thing is huge. It's a complex device."

" _Don't worry, Romanoff, just follow my instructions._ "

* * *

Bucky was in the tunnel as the mercenaries were shooting at him but Bucky jumped over a cart of tools and kicked one of the mercenaries away before he grabbed the gun of another one and started to shoot around and take down the mercenaries in quick succession.

* * *

Sam landed on a sentry tower and found a cylinder device as he scowled. "Guys, you said that they had three bombs, right?"

" _Yeah. Why?_ " Hill asked.

"I'm looking at a fourth one right now." Sam explained.

" _What? Wait, that doesn't make any sense unless… wait, Natasha, you said that the device you're disarming is more complex than the others?_ " Hill asked and then it hit them.

* * *

"It's a trap!" Natasha realized as behind her appeared a shadow and she turned around as Irina engaged her with a knife. Natasha dodged as Irina was about to stab her in the head.

"This won't end up like the last time." Irina smirked as Natasha's lips curved to a matching smile.

"So, you remember me. I'll enjoy kicking your ass twice as much." Natasha said as she spun around and tried to kick Irina but she ducked and hit Natasha in the leg as she fell down but used her arms for support as she got up and tried to attack with her elbow and hit Irina in the head but Irina blocked with her hand and grabbed Natasha by her arm and threw her down on the ground. Natasha got up and threw punches but Irina dodged and blocked and punched Natasha in the stomach, then in the head and then she kicked her back, knocking her down on the ground once more.

Because she was faster and stronger than Natasha, she was in great disadvantage. In a desperate move, Natasha lunged at Irina, sending her to the ground but Irina counted on that as Natasha suddenly felt sharp pain in her gut that immobilized her as she noticed the vindicated smirk on Irina's face before she looked down to see a knife stuck in her stomach as Irina pushed her on the ground and was about to deliver a final blow before…

"Nat!" Steve yelled as Irina started to run, while Steve started to run after her, while Bucky rushed to Natasha, who was coughing out blood as Bucky held her wound. Irina jumped down from the rooftop as Steve tried to go after her but as he looked down, she was already gone.

"Natasha, hang on." Bucky assured her as the blood started to spread across her shirt and she trembled, going pale slowly as Bucky held her wound.

"That bitch…" Natasha said with shaky breaths.

"You're gonna be OK, just stay awake." Steve said as he neared her too.

"Where is she?" Natasha asked as she turned to Steve. "We can't let her…"

"She got away." Steve said.

"We can't…"

"Natasha, don't. Right now, we need to patch you up." Bucky interrupted her. "Just hang on, we've got you."

* * *

_**Later** _

Hill was with Bucky and Steve in one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s safe houses as the doctors were working on stabilizing Natasha.

"She wants revenge." Bucky said. "On me and Hydra. For abandoning her."

"Why would she want revenge on you, Buck? I thought you only trained her." Steve said.

"It was… a bit more complicated than that." Bucky explained. "I remember more now…"

Then it hit Steve. "Oh, come on, Bucky…"

"Steve, you need to understand, we were both weapons back then." Bucky said.

"It doesn't matter. She's creating chaos and she needs to be stopped." Steve protested. "The question is, where would she get the resources to do it? Do you know anyone outside Hydra, who might supply them?"

* * *

"It's an honor to work with you, Barnes." Clint shook his hand with Bucky.

"We're on the clock, Clint. We gotta move." Steve ordered.

* * *

"Where's Irina Novokov?" Steve slammed a weapons dealer to the floor as he stepped on his chest.

"I don't know!"

* * *

"Tell me what is she up to!" Bucky grabbed a mercenary by his throat as he choked out.

"Please, I swear I have no idea!"

"Swear to me!"

* * *

"Signals, dead drops and secret codes no one would look for." Clint quipped. "You know, I missed this. Good old espionage days without Enhanced people or aliens from outer space or demigods or rogue A.I. robots." Bucky burst into the bunker, shooting down the mercenaries as Clint stared, while they were entering. "Look, I've got your back, Barnes but don't go flying off-the-rails."

Bucky entered as he looked around. "I remember this place. But… it's abandoned now."

"What is it?" Clint asked.

"Hydra's stock for parts for devices, like dirty bombs, things to cause mass destruction…"

"But it's been swept a while back." Clint noted. "Guess Nat leaking out S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra intel forced them to go deep underground. This place is…" Then he noticed a small device on the table. "Not as empty as I thought."

"What is that?" Bucky asked as Clint picked it up.

"A hard drive. Very old-school one, for that matter."

" _That's exactly what this is, Winter Soldier._ " Irina's voice said in Russian through the P.A. system.

" _Where are you, Irina?_ " Bucky called out in Russian.

" _I'm fulfilling my mission. Just like you are supposed to._ " Irina said.

" _Hydra has been dismantled, we're not theirs anymore. You don't have to…_ "

" _Yes, I do. Someone needs to be in control, since humanity cannot be trusted with its own freedom. And I will make sure someone will take charge._ " Irina said. " _And you will help me, soldier. On that hard drive is your next mission with the trigger words to force you to comply. And you will comply, otherwise I will kill Mr. Rogers, Mr. Barton, Mr. Wilson and anyone else you care about._ "

" _We will stop you._ " Clint yelled in Russian.

" _Oh, Mr. Barton, you've been two steps behind me the whole time. What hope you have in stopping me now?_ " Irina gloated as the P.A. system turned off.

* * *

"Bucky, you can't do this." Steve protested.

"She's been ahead of us the whole time and she almost killed Nat." Bucky said. "Maybe… maybe we should start playing by her rules."

"Are you crazy?" Hill demanded. "You can't be considering being someone else's puppet, Barnes. We still don't know who has the third Winter Soldier. We can decipher…"

"How many people are gonna die in the meantime?" Bucky snapped as he sighed. "I… I can't have more people on my conscience." He left as Hill and Steve stared at him sadly.

"We can't let him do this." Steve said.

"I can try to decipher the hard drive but who knows how long will it take." Hill sighed.

"And who else might Irina target in the meantime." Steve pointed out.

* * *

Bucky approached Natasha on the bed as she was holding her bandaged abdomen. "You OK?"

"Don't worry about me, Bucky." Natasha smiled before she noticed the look on his face. "What happened is not your fault."

"I trained them. And she almost killed you." Bucky pointed out.

"I'm a grown girl." Natasha retorted. "I chose to do this with…"

"That's not my point, Nat." Bucky cut her off. "It's my responsibility to stop them. Not yours. Not Steve's. Only mine. You'll only get hurt if you help me."

"Bucky, she made her choice, she wasn't brainwashed to do this." Natasha pleaded.

"But the third Winter Soldier may not have chosen to." Bucky said. "And you don't stand a chance against them, Nat."

"Together we can stop them." Natasha insisted as she held his hand. "Bucky, you don't have to do this alone. We're with you until the end of the line."

* * *

_"Thank you, Buck but I can get by on my own." Steve told Bucky as they were in front of his apartment._

_"The thing is, you don't have to." Bucky pointed out as he held Steve's shoulder. "I'm with you until the end of the line, pal."_

* * *

_"You're my mission." Bucky snarled as he tackled Steve to the ground and started to pummel him and beat him to a pulp. "You! Are! My! Mission!"_

_"Then finish it." Steve said weakly with bruised face. "Because I'm with you until the end of the line."_

_The words seemed to pull out a faint memory in Bucky's mind as he then stared at Steve in shock and realization before the window collapsed and Bucky held onto the girder as Steve's body fell into the Potomac river._

* * *

Bucky groaned as he was assaulted by memories once again.

"Are you OK?" Natasha asked before Bucky came to.

"Yeah, I… I just need to…" Bucky got up, about to leave before Natasha held his hand.

"Bucky, don't go. Please." Natasha insisted. "You don't have to keep this bottled up. Just talk to me." Bucky looked into her eyes as he eventually gave in and sat down. "Just tell me what's going on."

Bucky sighed. "I… every time I close my eyes, it all comes back. Stark's parents and other people. Washington. Bucharest. All of it."

"We'll fix this." Natasha said.

"Are you sure?" Bucky asked. "I… I still have it in my head. What they did to me… I… I'm afraid I might lose myself again… those words…"

"You found your way back from it before." Natasha pleaded. "You can do it again."

Bucky smiled. "You're too kind to me. Kinder than I deserve."

He sat at her side as they kept on comforting each other until they both fell asleep…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	5. Desperate Call - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to protect his friends from Novokov, Bucky decides to make a desperate move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything in Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Natasha woke up as she turned her head but noticed that she was alone in bed. "Bucky?" She got up and looked around before she found a letter on nightstand and read it and her blood ran cold and quickly put on her shirt.

* * *

"Steve!" Natasha yelled as Steve and Clint got up from the desk, worried.

"Nat, you should be resting…" Clint held her as she stumbled.

"Bucky's gone." Natasha panted out as she held her bandaged abdomen.

"What do you mean, " _gone_ "?" Steve demanded.

"We were talking last night in bed and…" Natasha paused. "Things got a little heated between us. Then, when I woke up, I was in bed alone and I found this on the nightstand."

Steve picked the letter from Natasha's hand and read it.

" _Nat, Steve, I'm sorry. But you don't know Novokov like I do. She's been ahead of us the whole time and the Winter Soldiers are smarter and deadlier than most enemies you have faced. The only way we get to them is if we play by their rules. I know you're gonna hate me for it and I'm sure I'll deserve it. But if this is the only way to protect you, then I can live with it. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for everything I might do._ "

Steve banged the table. "Damn it."

"It gets worse." Hill said as she went out from her room. "Barnes took the hard drive from Novokov with him."

"Now what?" Clint sighed. "The worst-case scenario is three rogue Winter Soldiers trying to start an international incident. And Ross and Tony and his Avengers are gonna be all over us again."

"He can't have gotten far." Natasha pleaded.

Hill nodded. "I knew that Barnes might try something like that, so I managed to install a bug into the hard drive and copy the data in case he'd try to steal it." She typed in some commands into the computer. "He's in Chicago."

Steve scowled. "Why would he go to…"

"Oh, no…" Natasha paled.

"What?" Clint asked. "You know something?"

"There's someone in Chicago, who might know how to program Bucky." Natasha said.

"Kragoff?" Steve asked as Natasha nodded.

"The latest intel we had suggested that Kragoff might be somewhere in Chicago. If someone could reprogram Barnes and decipher that hard drive, it's him." She said.

"Our latest intel suggests that he could be hiding there." Hill said. "We need to hurry. I'll keep on trying to unlocking the hard drive."

* * *

**_Later, Chicago_ **

Steve, Sam, Clint and Natasha burst into a house, where was an old man in lab coat on a chair, with a machine with pads on his temples.

"Damn it, we're too late!" Natasha groaned.

Steve got the man off the machine. "Mr. Kragoff, what did you program into the Winter Soldier?"

" _What… Where… where am I?_ " Kragoff asked in Russian, confused.

Clint banged the table. "Shit. Barnes isn't stupid. He covered his tracks and wiped his mind. We're not getting anything out of him, Steve."

"This is the worst-case scenario. Bucky Barnes on the loose, like the last time, when we caught him." Sam wiped his face.

"Not this time." Natasha said. "We're gonna get him out of it, one way or another."

" _Guys, I've got some good news and bad news._ " Hill called out.

"Good news first." Steve asked.

" _I deciphered the hard drive from Novokov. I know who's Bucky targeting._ "

"I'm guessing the bad news is who is the target." Sam drawled.

" _Yeah, unfortunately._ " Hill sighed.

"I hate it, when I'm right." Sam snapped.

"Just rip the band-aid off, Hill. Who is he after?" Natasha asked.

" _It's someone we should have thought of already. I'm trying to send him a warning right now._ " Hill said.

* * *

_**Stark Tower, New York** _

Tony Stark was alone in his workshop, trying to design a new armor, when in the shadows was Bucky, readying his weapon as on the computer was bleeping " _EMERGENCY CALL: MARIA HILL…_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	6. Desperate Call - Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve, Natasha, Clint and Sam race to save Bucky from making a big mistake as Irina starts her endgame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything in Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Steve, Natasha, Sam and Clint were flying in Quinjet towards Stark Tower.

"Who knows, Tony has upgraded the whole place, so there's no way Barnes could ever get to him." Clint said optimistically before they saw Iron Man fly out as Bucky was holding onto him.

"You were saying?" Natasha asked sarcastically.

"Aw, hell." Clint groaned.

"Sam…" Steve said.

Iron Man shook Bucky off as he was falling down but Bucky pulled out some small device with grapnel, pulling himself up.

"Clint, turn the bird, now!" Natasha yelled.

"I know!" Clint snapped as the Quinjet spun, while the cargo door opened as Steve and Sam were about to jump out but Bucky swung around and jumped on Quinjet in front of the pilot cabin as he pulled out his gun. "Aw, hell, no!"

Bucky fired, shooting through the glass and destroying the controls, causing for the Quinjet to uncontrollably fly around.

"Son of a bitch!" Clint snapped as he and Natasha jumped out as Natasha held onto Clint, who fired a grapnel arrow and swung towards the window into Stark Tower as the Quinjet plummeted to the rooftop of another building. "I swear to God, if Tony won't kill him, I sure as hell am gonna beat the living hell out of him!"

Iron Man fired at Winter Soldier, who jumped back as Iron Man glared. "You came back for round two? I'm glad to oblige."

"Tony, stop!" Steve intervened.

"Get out of my way, Rogers!" Tony snapped.

"He's not himself!" Steve pleaded.

"He tried to kill me, just like he killed…"

"Tony… please… I don't want to fight you again." Steve begged. They both turned around to face Bucky, who had a blank look on his face, just like, when he killed Tony's parents and back in Berlin, when Zemo activated him. "Bucky, I know you're somewhere in there. You need to snap out of it."

Bucky pulled out his guns and fired, causing for Steve to take cover as Iron Man fired at Bucky and knocked him down before Natasha stepped up.

"Bucky, please. Don't. We don't want to fight you." Bucky attacked her as Natasha dodged and tried to retaliate with a kick but Bucky blocked with his arm and punched her in her chest and then with his elbow from behind, knocking her down as she kicked him in the stomach and got up. "Listen to me. Your name is James Buchanan Barnes. Born to George and Winifred Barnes in March 10, 1917."

Bucky roared and tried to lunge at her as Steve held him from behind. "Bucky, stop! You know us!"

"You're not that person anymore, Bucky. You have to fight this." Natasha pleaded.

"Get out of my way, Natasha!" Iron Man ordered as he landed down and aimed his repulsor at Bucky.

"Tony, don't!" Natasha stepped up.

"We're your friends, Bucky. You need to wake up!" Steve tried to calm Bucky down.

Bucky roared as he threw Steve away and in that moment, Iron Man fired, knocking Bucky down and knocking him out as he raised his hand with repulsor. "And he's out."

Steve got up, stepping in between Tony and Bucky with Natasha as a dreadful déjà vu took them over. "Tony, please… it's not him. They triggered him again. Don't do this."

"I know you're angry but please. It's not his fault." Natasha pleaded as Tony looked at Bucky and remembered when he fought him in Siberia and now. Back then, Bucky's eyes were full of guilt and shame. And now, Bucky had the same look like in Berlin, when Zemo activated him and seeing how his friends were willing to sacrifice their own lives for him…

"I took out an assassin hired by a terrorist but he killed himself rather than talk." Iron Man said, lowering his weapon.

"Thank you." Steve said.

"I'm not doing this for you." Iron Man sneered. "Just get out before Ross hears about this or before I change my mind."

* * *

**_Later, S.H.I.E.L.D. safehouse_ **

As Bucky woke up, he panted out, wiping his face. "Oh, my God… what did I do…"

"You didn't kill anyone, if that's what you're wondering." Steve assured him.

"At least, not for lack of trying." Sam added.

"What the hell were you thinking, Barnes?" Hill snapped.

"I had to do something." Bucky said. "I thought that if I would play by her rules…"

"You were wasting our time, you idiot!" Clint snarled. "That psycho is still out there and you allowed yourself to become her freaking puppet! Did you really think Novokov would leave you a trail of breadcrumbs to follow if you played along?"

"She's been playing us the whole time, Bucky." Natasha added. "And you've been your worst enemy these past few weeks. You barely sleep, you barely eat, not that I blame you but you let your feelings get the better of you."

"I was trying to protect you!" Bucky snapped. "Last time we got a lead, she almost killed you! Barton, if it was your wife and kids…"

"Barnes, don't go there or I swear to God…" Clint seethed.

"…what would you have done to protect the people you love?" Bucky finished and Clint was fuming with rage.

"I said…" He punched Bucky hard in his face, knocking him down. "I don't want to hear it!"

"Clint!" Hill snapped as she stepped up between them.

"No…" Bucky groaned as he wiped the blood on his face. "I had that coming."

"Damn right you do!" Clint glared. "Don't you get it? You're letting her manipulate you and waste our time…"

"You think I don't know that?!" Bucky snapped back.

"Hey, enough!" Natasha intervened.

"No, Nat, I…"

"I said, enough, Clint!" Natasha raised her voice. "Yelling at each other and fighting like teenagers is not gonna solve anything!"

Clint sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"No, I deserved that." Bucky said.

"Like Nat said, you've been your worst enemy for weeks, Bucky." Steve intervened. "And you couldn't see that Irina left us a clue at all."

"What do you mean?" Bucky asked, not understanding.

"She's trying to dismantle everything that defines you and her." Steve said. "Killing off Hydra members and Soviet officers associated with Winter Soldier programs, trying to kill Tony, the attempted chemical attack at Philadelphia…"

"She wants to burn your past to the ground." Natasha finished.

"But in way that would make it hurt you. If you killed Tony, it would have haunted you forever." Hill added.

"So, where would she strike next?" Sam asked.

"She almost killed Nat in Philadelphia, since it was personal." Steve said as he turned to her. "You said it yourself that she almost killed you before."

"And trying to brainwash me into killing Tony was a way to get back at me and him." Bucky realized.

"The question is, what's her next target?" Clint asked.

"I might have a way to track her down." Hill said. "Look, saving Tony and Philadelphia didn't get us many solid leads. That's why I used a bait." She pulled out the information on the screen.

"An hour after I leaked the Winter Soldier intel, my message was forwarded… twenty-two times by now to this guy." She pulled out another photo of an elderly man.

"Alexander Lukin." Steve read.

"Tracking software." Natasha realized. "Lukin used to be in Russian Central Command during the Cold War."

Bucky got a brief flashback about seeing him among the people, who were programming him as he groaned.

"You know him?" Steve asked, noticing Bucky's face.

"I… think I saw him… when they triggered me." Bucky said.

"We suspected him of possible ties to Hydra." Hill said. "Currently weapons dealer smuggler. Guess what. After that fiasco in Philadelphia, he decided to take sudden vacations to Mexico. We flagged one of his fake passports a few minutes ago."

"Where is he now?" Clint asked.

* * *

**_Washington D.C._ **

A bearded elderly man was at a train station on bench before he was approached by Clint and Steve in disguises.

"Going somewhere?"

"I'm afraid you're not gonna make the train, Mr. Lukin."

* * *

"I don't know the location, I swear to God! I just don't want to be around here, when she sets it off!" Lukin begged as Steve and Natasha hung him from the rooftop.

"What exactly is she planning?" Steve demanded.

* * *

Steve, Sam, Natasha, Clint and Bucky drove down the streets of Washington.

" _I've got two possible locations._ " Hill said.

"Bucky, Natasha and I will take one." Steve said. "You guys take the second one."

* * *

Irina was driving in the middle of Arlington Cemetery with truck full of radioactive material before she went out but her instincts turned on as she turned around and dodged the gunshots as Natasha and Bucky fired.

"Well, I guess it's master against the student now, is it?" Irina smirked.

Bucky pulled out his knife and attacked as Irina dodged and grabbed his arm, restraining Bucky. "It doesn't have to be this way."

"I'm afraid it does. You abandoned me and betrayed me." Irina sneered as she tried to throw Bucky but he managed to shake her off as Natasha and Steve showed up, assisting Bucky but Irina managed to block and dodge their combined attacks due to her training and enhanced physique. In the end, Steve hit her in the chin, sending her flying as she hit the ground before she smirked.

"Clock's ticking, comrade. What's it gonna be? Washington, or me?"

"Nat, disarm it, we'll handle her!" Steve ordered as Natasha went to the device, trying to deactivate it as the countdown continued.

Irina pulled out two knives as she attacked but Steve and Bucky dodged and blocked. Irina managed to scratch them both but didn't inflict any fatal injuries as Bucky grabbed her arm and threw her down. "It's over, soldier! We're not their puppets anymore!"

"You betrayed us and abandoned us!" Irina snarled as she got up. "Everything we were created to do, gone, because of you!"

"Don't you see that this is wrong?" Bucky pleaded. "How many innocent people have died because of Hydra? How many more innocent will you kill because of petty revenge?"

"Humanity needs a restart! Or have you forgotten? Hydra was weak! I'm giving someone stronger than them an opportunity to do better!"

"This is not who we are anymore! It's over, Irina! Give up! You can have your life back!"

She pulled out her gun as she aimed at Bucky. "My life was destroyed when I woke up in Washington two years ago."

In that moment, Sam flew down with his wings, knocking Irina down on the ground and then, hitting her hard enough to knock her out as Steve smiled.

"What would you do without your wingman?"

* * *

**_Later_ **

"What happens now?" Bucky asked.

"She was a puppet. Just like you, Barnes." Hill said as they had Irina in a containment cell, in the same one Bucky was, when they arrested him. "Joint Counter-Terrorist Centre is gonna contain her and hopefully, try to reverse what was done to her. The brainwashing, reconditioning, all of it. Maybe give her her life back."

"She wasn't brainwashed to do any of this." Sam said.

"She may have done this from her own volition… but she does not have to be the weapon they turned her into anymore." Hill said, turning to Bucky. "Does she?"

Bucky considered her words.  _What Hydra did to him was still in his head… was there any way to reverse it?_

* * *

Bucky was in his room, staring in the mirror as Natasha entered.

"It's not your fault."

Bucky turned around, not surprised she was there. "I never said it was. She made her choice. I didn't force her to do it. Neither did Zemo or anyone else."

"But you're feeling guilty." Natasha said. "I know that look."

"Only because you almost got killed." Bucky replied.

"It's not the first time I looked Death in the eyes and blinked." Natasha assured him.

Bucky sighed as he turned his head. "I don't want you to get involved into this, Nat."

"Don't push me away, Barnes." Natasha said.

"You help me, you'll only get hurt! Don't you get it?" Bucky exploded. "I was a weapon. A killer. There's no escaping that. My past eventually comes back to haunt me. First Tony, now her, and you and Steve almost got yourselves killed in the process!"

"So, what, you decide to run away from your friends?" Natasha snapped back. "Bucky, like it or not, you'll always have people in your life and you'll need each other, through better or worse. And your enemies will always find a way to exploit them as weakness. If you can't accept that, your past is gonna hold you back forever!"

There was a grim silent as they kept looking at each other. "You shouldn't be helping me. Not after what I've done."

"You're not the only one, who's done bad things on behalf of bad people and is trying to be better." Natasha pointed out. "And trust me, running away from people, who want to help you and care about you is the last thing you want to do."

"Why won't you give up on me?" Bucky asked.

"Because you're Steve's friend. And I've lost more than enough people I care about." Natasha said. "You may think the worst of yourself right now but you don't have to be that person anymore."

"How am I supposed to get rid of what they did to me?!" Bucky demanded.

Natasha sighed. "I don't know." She said honestly. "But I'm sure we'll find a way to cure you of the programming. I know that deep down you're a good person. And that's how I know you'll get through this. I've been where you're at." She neared him and held his hand. "Bucky, you don't have to be alone anymore. We're here for you. And you can find your way back. Remember that."

Bucky looked at her consoling eyes as she smiled before they neared each other and kissed fiercely as she unbuttoned his shirt, while Bucky took off her top and unclipped her bra, dropping it on the floor as they were giving into each other…

* * *

"So, where's the next target?" Steve asked.

"This was taken in Moscow last week." Hill said, showing the photo of a man in late thirties.

* * *

_**Moscow** _

"A Winter Soldier?" An elderly woman with brown hair and white coat asked the young man across her in a restaurant. "Interesting."

"He will be an excellent weapon in our possession. I've heard that you have a secret weapon of your own. What are you planning with her?"

"Our goals are not as material as Hydra had. We aim… higher. Towards one thing we all crave." The woman said.

"That is?"

"Immortality."

"I've heard that the… conditioning methods of your organization are more efficient given your… colorful history. Perhaps we could help each other."

"If you won't mind, we'd like to send our assets to New York through your shell company."

"Consider it done."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you watch any Netflix MCU TV series, want to guess, who was the woman?
> 
> So, what do you guys think?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.


	7. Unpleasent Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While looking for the last Winter Soldier, Steve, Natasha, Sam and Bucky get in the middle of a fight beyond their imagination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything in Marvel Cinematic Universe.

**_Moscow_ **

"Who did Stalenko kill?" Natasha asked as they were in some bar, in disguise with Bucky and Steve and Hill.

"I don't know." Hill said. "This guy was… not a significant target. Some… master martial artist, yoga, trainer… you name it." She said as she looked at the file on tablet.

"And it's not consistent with the Winter Soldier's M.O. either. Usually they kill swiftly and with no trace but it was more like… torture. For fun." Bucky said as he looked at the photo. "Whoever has Stalenko in his possession, I think they might not be our usual thugs."

"Do we have any connections?" Natasha asked.

"Not any apparent one." Hill sighed. "Some of them had connection to Roxxon Oil Corporation but they seem to be clean."

"Keep digging. We'll take a look around." Steve said.

* * *

"Why would they use a Winter Soldier to attack an international industrial organization?" Natasha wondered.

"Whoever has the Winter Soldier, might not be in it for politics but for profit." Steve deduced.

"Hydra had many goals over the decades. The thing about bad guys is, they may have different names but they always work for themselves and at the expense of suffering of others." Bucky growled. "When will it stop?"

"It may stop one day, Bucky." Steve assured him. "Who would be our potential target now?"

* * *

"Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff and Bucky Barnes are here." The young man told the elderly woman.

"The former Avengers and the Winter Soldier? Interesting." The woman smirked.

"Miss Reid, I cannot let them interfere in my business in this city, if you want my cooperation in moving your assets to New York." The man said.

"Indeed, we cannot let that happen. Perhaps it's time we tested our greatest weapons." The woman said as two people, one of them a young muscular man and a dark-haired woman in black, wielding a sword, entered. "I have three targets for you. It must be done cleanly, swiftly and no witnesses left standing. However, bring Bucky Barnes alive, if possible. Dead, if necessary."

* * *

Natasha was talking to someone in Russian over the radio before she dialed Steve's number. "Guys, I think I might have something."

* * *

"What's going on?" Steve asked.

"I'm not sure but there's a chatter about a woman with a sword and a guy with a glowing fist that beat the crap out of the lowlifes around here." Natasha said. "Some of these guys are shady and have… bad connections. It might not be our guy but…"

"It's worth looking into." Bucky nodded.

* * *

They knocked on the door but nothing happened. "Strange." Natasha frowned.

"It could be a trap." Bucky said as he kicked the door down. He cautiously entered the door, when…

From the shadows jumped out a woman in black coat with a sword as Bucky used his arm to block her attack and kick her back as he counter-attacked but she was faster and stronger than it seemed as she dodged and grabbed him by his arm and knocked him down on the floor.

"Bucky!" Natasha exclaimed as Steve rushed in, engaging the woman as he dodged her attack and tried to kick her but the woman jumped at wall and did a backflip, knocking Steve on the ground. Natasha pulled out a gun as the woman dodged and jumped out through the window, revealing red dress under the black coat she was wearing.

"Who the hell is that?" Steve demanded as he looked outside the window. "Another Winter Soldier?"

"No, I don't think so." Bucky shook his head. "I've never seen her before."

"Whoever she is, we can't let her get away." Natasha growled.

* * *

Steve, Natasha and Bucky were jumping from one rooftop to another, chasing the woman in black coat but she managed to disappear.

"I lost her." Steve said.

"Can't see her anywhere." Natasha sighed.

"She might not be a Winter Soldier but she's very good." Bucky said.

Then, from behind, they heard a roar as Bucky turned around and saw a glowing fist before he was hit hard in the chest and knocked down on the ground. "Whoever you are, it ends here!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to make it so short but I thought this was a good place to stop. I will try to update very soon. Want to guess who just showed up?
> 
> So, what do you guys think?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.


	8. Aligned Interests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve, Natasha and Bucky have an unpleasent encounter with a powerful warrior, who might become a great ally in an upcoming fight with the last Winter Soldier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything in Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Bucky groaned as he got up, looking at the man with short beard and dirty blonde hair and his glowing fist.  _It really hurt. It could not have been a bionic arm, so how did that man throw a punch like that?_

And Bucky did not recognize him either, it certainly was not a Winter Soldier or a member of Hydra.

"Who the hell are you?" Bucky demanded.

"I should ask you the same thing. Are you with the Hand?" The man demanded.

"What…" Steve asked, not understanding but Bucky remembered the stories from Hydra about an ancient powerful group of ninjas that sought immortality before he realized that the assassin they had just encountered, must have been working for the Hand.

"Easy." Bucky got up with his hands raised. "Look, I think there's been a misunderstanding. We're not the bad guys here."

"So, why did you run?" The man asked, glaring.

"Look, let's all just calm down and talk this through, OK?" Steve stepped up. "We don't have to fight."

"Then tell me why did you kill…" Before the man could finish, he was knocked down by a man that Bucky immediately recognized.  _The third Winter Soldier. Yuri Stalenko._

Yuri kicked the man away as he rolled down as Bucky roared, attacking him but Yuri blocked Bucky's punches as he pulled out a knife and attacked but Bucky blocked with his metal arm and kicked him back as Steve jumped at Yuri and kneed him in the chest, causing for him to fall over the edge of the roof. As Steve looked down, Yuri disappeared.

The man that had attacked them, got up as a moment later, an Asian woman with long black hair, wearing a white jacket and black jeans and with a katana rushed in as the man glared and his fist was glowing again. "Danny, no!" The woman exclaimed as she recognized Steve, Natasha and Bucky. "Stand down!"

"What? Why?" Danny demanded.

"They're not the bad guys here." The woman explained. "Please. Just trust me." Danny turned to the woman as Steve, Bucky and Natasha noticed her pleading eyes as Danny's fist stopped glowing as she turned to Steve, Natasha and Bucky, bowing. "Captain Rogers. Mr. Barnes. Miss Romanoff. It's an honor."

Danny widened his eyes as he recognized the names as he turned to them. "You're the…"

"Yeah." Steve nodded. "I guess we need to have a serious conversation."

* * *

Later, Steve, Bucky, Natasha, Danny and Colleen entered a bar in Moscow as Steve, Bucky and Natasha told their story to them. "So, you're now outlaws because of these Accords, since the world governments believe that you're out of control?" Danny asked as Steve nodded.

"The Avengers were splintered into two groups. We had two choices. Either sign and could help save people around with the permission of the U.N. or retire. Unfortunately, not everyone agreed and things got from bad to worse and short version, we're on the wrong side of the law now." Natasha summed up.

"That's not fair." Danny scoffed. "How can the governments decide when it's right and wrong for you to save people? You've saved countless of lives over the past five years."

"Unfortunately, there were also some casualties." Steve pointed out. "We did our best but the U.N. believes that we're out of control and wanted to contain us. The reason I didn't sign was because I don't trust people with agendas. Three years ago, we discovered that Hydra had infiltrated multiple levels of government and S.H.I.E.L.D., secretly spreading chaos across the world in order to rule it. When we exposed them, things got from bad to worse. We lost the trust of public. And the world governments don't trust us anymore because of the casualties that had happened during our missions."

Danny stared. "You did your best. They shouldn't have to fault you for…"

"The point is, the world believes we're too powerful and out of control. That's why they established the Sokovian Accords. A friend of ours and some of our teammates signed, mainly because Tony had allowed his guilt over the people we could not save, cloud his judgement. And…" Steve sighed, feeling guilty. "I kept a secret from him something that I should have told him. Maybe this all could have been avoided."

"What happened?" Danny asked.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Steve said. "I only hope Tony will understand one day. Maybe even forgive me. I did what I could to make it right. And I can't expect anything less from him. Tony is a good man in his core but… he let his feelings get the best of him."

Danny and Colleen waited for a moment to process the news. "And what are you doing here in Moscow?" Colleen asked.

"It's a long story." Bucky sighed. "But let's just say I'm not the only weapon that Hydra was trying to use. There is at least one more on the loose out there and we're trying to take him out before he hurts innocent people."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Danny asked.

"Someone managed to get his hands on three Winter Soldiers before Zemo discovered the Hydra base in Siberia and two of them were sold to bad people and the third one was woken up prematurely and was on the loose." Natasha summed up. "One of them is dead, we caught another one and we were looking for the third one here in Moscow before we encountered you."

"We heard chatter about a man with a glowing fist and an Asian woman with a sword beating up people and wanted to investigate." Steve explained. "I'm guessing that's where you fill us in, Mr. Rand."

Danny took a breath as he started to say his story. "Sixteen years ago, I was flying with my parents on a business trip to Anzhou." He closed his eyes, reliving the pain. "Something happened with the plane and we were falling. I saw my Mom get sucked out as the roof was torn apart and before the plane crashed, the last words I heard my Dad say was that he loved me." Steve, Bucky and Natasha looked at Danny in pity and sympathy.

"How did you survive the crash?" Natasha asked.

"I'm not sure, honestly." Danny admitted. "When I woke up, I saw around snow, debris and…" He sighed deeply. "I found the bodies of my father and two pilots and that's when they found me."

"They  _who_?" Bucky asked.

"The Order of the Crane Mother. The Elders of K'un-Lun." Danny said. "It's a place that exists in a different realm. This next part is going to sound unbelievable…"

"We've seen our share of unbelievable." Natasha shrugged.

Danny nodded, hoping they would believe him. "The monks took me in and raised me. For the following fifteen years, I trained with them under harsh conditions, sparring with other students, getting beat up by my masters if I failed, all to earn the power of the Iron Fist, which was a great honor to possess in K'un-Lun."

Steve narrowed his eyes. "Iron Fist, you mean the glowing…"

"Yes." Danny nodded. "Eventually, I had to face the final test. I had to face the dragon. Shou-Lao the Undying."

"Wait a second, by " _dragon_ ", you mean an actual, real dragon, breathing fire?" Natasha demanded, not believing what she was hearing.

"I don't know if Shou-Lao could breathe fire. But in order to win, I had to strike its heart and that earned me the Iron Fist and the mark of Shou-Lao on my chest." Danny pulled his shirt as Steve, Natasha and Bucky saw a glimpse of some dragon tattoo on his chest as they stared. "It was my duty to protect K'un-Lun as the new Iron Fist and I did so." He explained.

"But you failed?" Steve asked. "Or what happened?"

Danny sighed, feeling guilty. "I was dutiful in my mission to guard the pass to K'un-Lun. Every day, I kept watch but still… it didn't feel the way I thought it would. So, I was looking for a sign, anything that would give me a sense of purpose… until one day, when I was guarding the pass, I saw a hawk flying away and then I realized that the pass was open. And… I saw an opportunity. So, I came home and left K'un-Lun."

"And that's when he met me." Colleen explained. "I was in New York, working as martial arts instructor. When Danny returned, no one believed him about his identity, not even his childhood friends."

"Ward and Joy Meachums." Danny said. "Their father, Harold, and my parents were close friends. We grew up together. So, instead, Ward had me committed to an asylum to get me out of the picture. Later, he sent hitmen after me to take me out but I managed to escape and hide at Colleen's."

"I'm not surprised." Natasha shrugged. "For years, Ward and Joy Meachum have control over Rand Enterprises, one of the largest companies in the world, when out of the sudden, the lost son of the Rands returns back from the dead? There's only one way this could end, if you're not careful."

Danny nodded. "Ward sent more people after me to get me out of the picture because he thought I was a threat to him and the company but in the end, I managed to convince the public of who I am and I got some control of Rand Enterprises."

"Well, at least some justice was served." Natasha shrugged.

"But then I realized my company had been infiltrated by the people I was trained to fight against." Danny said grimly. "The Hand."

" _THE HAND_?" Natasha and Bucky demanded loudly in unison, hoping they  _did_  not hear Danny say what they thought he was saying.

"They're real?" Natasha asked.

"You know about the Hand?" Colleen asked.

"What is the Hand?" Steve asked, confused.

Bucky sighed. "Over the years I was controlled as the Winter Soldier, I've heard stories about them in Hydra. They say that it's an ancient group of zealots, going back centuries, seeking power and control and immortality anywhere they can. Political circles, multinational corporations, you name it. They're so dark that even Hydra dreads facing them. And supposedly, they are eternal."

"It's all true." Colleen nodded. "I've seen what the Hand is capable of. I used to be one of them but… I've seen for myself who they truly are and they betrayed me. Danny saved me."

Steve smiled at Colleen. "You seem like a nice woman, Miss Wing."

Colleen smiled.

Then, Danny and Colleen continued their story about the Hand resurrecting Harold Meachum and that he had orchestrated the crash of Danny's plane, Harold framing Danny and their and Ward's confrontation with him and continued talking about Bakuto and Madame Gao and that K'un-Lun's gates were closed once Danny had returned as he looked down sad as Steve assured him.

"It was my duty to protect them… and I failed."

"You did your best. That's all any of us can do." Steve assured him.

Danny smiled at Steve. "I can see why you're one of the greatest heroes in history."

"Yeah and back to the topic, who was that guy that the woman killed?" Natasha asked.

"He was a member of a group called the Chaste." Danny explained. "I was hoping he might give me some answers about the Hand but I guess they got ahead of him."

"Well, Mr. Rand, if we can help you, then…"

Before Steve could finish, an explosion followed, knocking them all on the ground as the window shattered.

As Steve, Bucky, Natasha, Colleen and Danny came to, they looked up to see the last Winter Soldier, Yuri Stalenko and another figure in black cape and red dress.

* * *

"If they get in your way, kill them." The woman ordered. "But we need the Iron Fist alive."

"Yes, Black Sky." Stalenko nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that not many interesting things happened here, I'll try to update very soon.
> 
> So, what do you guys think?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.


	9. The Last Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last facedown with the Winter Soldier and a new enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note and Disclaimer:
> 
> I wasn't intending to make this story too long and I honestly didn't know how would I make this long enough to make this interesting, so I hope you have enjoyed this story. Warning, the last part will spoil Avengers: Infinity War.
> 
> I do not own anything in Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Steve, Natasha, Bucky, Colleen and Danny took cover behind a bar as Stalenko fired from his machine gun, while someone was calling the police.

"Stalenko." Bucky realized as he recognized the bold approach.

"You think?" Steve snapped.

"What's going on here?" Danny demanded.

"Looks like the Winter Soldier we wanted to find, found us!" Natasha explained.

"Come on, we need to get out of here and draw his attention to us!" Steve ordered, not wanting to get innocent people into crossfire as everyone went out through the kitchen.

* * *

Steve, Natasha and Bucky climbed on a rooftop and jumped across as Steve tackled Stalenko to the ground. Stalenko kicked Steve back as from above jumped down Black Sky with her sword but Natasha and Bucky dodged as Bucky blocked Black Sky's sword with his metal arm, while Natasha tried to attack Black Sky but jumped back as Black Sky spun around, scratching Natasha in the leg as she hissed.

Black Sky blocked Bucky's punches and as he threw another one, Black Sky grabbed his arm and threw him across the roof.

As Bucky rolled down, Natasha jumped at Black Sky from behind and wrapped her legs around her neck and tried to choke her but Black Sky freed herself from Natasha's hold, while Natasha managed to snatch from Black Sky's coat a small piece of paper before Black Sky shook Natasha off as Natasha fell down on the roof. Black Sky tried to stab Natasha but Natasha rolled back, while Colleen and Danny rushed to the scene.

"Hey!" Danny exclaimed, while Black Sky glanced at him and Colleen but realizing she was outnumbered, she jumped down from the roof and disappeared.

Steve attacked Stalenko as Stalenko threw a punch, aiming at Steve's head as Steve blocked with his arm and kicked Stalenko in the chest but Stalenko was barely fazed as he grabbed Steve and slammed him to the ground and Steve groaned. Bucky attacked Stalenko as he tried to attack with his metal arm but missed as he hit a nearby wall, his arm buried deep in it. Before Bucky could yank it out, Stalenko grabbed his arm and slammed Bucky to the ground as he was starting to pull it as Bucky screamed out in pain.

"No!" Steve yelled.

Danny charged his fist and hit Stalenko in the chest hard as Stalenko was sent flying and crashed to a vent but with Bucky's arm as Bucky was on the ground, with one arm only, much like, when Tony had shot his arm off in Siberia.

Bucky got up as he, Steve, Natasha, Colleen and Danny approached Stalenko, who had a piece of pipe sticking out of his chest as he was impaled to the vent as Bucky looked at the Winter Soldier sadly as there was no hint of emotion in his eyes before… there was… sadness. Bucky looked at the brainwashed Winter Soldier in sympathy as Stalenko seemed to have… remorse…

"Why… why… did… it have to… end like this?" Stalenko murmured.

"Do you even know why did you have to kill all those people?" Bucky asked as Stalenko kept on considering his answer. "Look at us. Look at what they made us give."

" _Mission… Hydra… changes… homecoming…_ " Stalenko started to ramble in Russian as Bucky was assaulted by another wave of memories as he held his head and groaned.

"Bucky! Bucky!" Steve tried to assure Bucky but it was like Bucky was in savage state as he was throwing his arm around as Steve had to hold him down.

"What's wrong with him?" Danny asked.

"Brainwashing. His mind's been scrambled a lot in the past couple of years." Natasha exclaimed.

Bucky kept on throwing around as Steve was trying to calm him down. "It's OK, Buck. It's OK."

Colleen pulled out some kind of a syringe and jammed it into Bucky's neck as he passed out.

* * *

As they were in a safehouse, Danny and Colleen looked at the unconscious Bucky as they turned to Steve and Natasha.

"Is there any way to reverse what they did to him?" Colleen asked.

"I know someone, who might help." Steve said. "I already called him. Where are you going to go now, Mr. Rand?"

Natasha went out with Hill as they handed Danny and Colleen a sheet of paper. "We called some of our old contacts. The shell company that you told us about that you've been tracking, we found that they recently transferred their assets to Cambodia. Hopefully, you'll find the Hand there."

"Thank you." Danny nodded. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Good luck." Natasha said.

* * *

" _The Winter Soldier we bought, is dead._ " A middle-aged Asian man said in Japanese as the elderly woman in white suit sighed.

"Never mind. He was an expendable asset. We have more powerful weapon in our mind." The woman said.

"And what of Captain Rogers and his friends?" Another man, a black African in grey suit and wearing a white hat, asked. "My sources tell me that they escaped to Wakanda."

"Rogers and his friends are specks of sand in desert." The woman said. "They will not matter, once our business in New York is settled. Now, we know where the Iron Fist is and we'll make sure he will come to us."

"I'm looking forward to see my dear Colleen again." Another man, a tanned man with grey hair and beard and bronze jacket smirked.

"Soon, we will wield power that not even they can fathom." An elderly Chinese woman with a cane smirked as she limped to them.

* * *

**_Sometime later, Wakanda_ **

"Captain, I assure you, this is the only way. In order for Sergeant Barnes to be cleansed of his programming, he will have to return to cryo-sleep stasis, so that Wakanda design group can do its work." T'Challa promised as he was talking with Bucky and Steve in his office.

"I still don't know about all this. Of course, it's up to you, Bucky." Steve turned to him.

"I've got to give it a shot. If you think there's a chance you can make it work…?" Bucky hesitated.

"The scientist leading this initiative is the most gifted in Wakanda, I'd trust her in my life." T'Challa promised.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Bucky?" Natasha asked as she and Bucky were talking in a corridor before they prepared his cryochamber.

"You know that it's my only choice, Nat." Bucky reasoned. "I can't trust my own mind. This is for everyone's good."

Natasha nodded, feeling heartbroken though. "It's just that… I wish it didn't have to…"

"I know." Bucky nodded as they kissed fiercely. "For what it's worth… I enjoyed every moment that we had in the past few months. Maybe we'll start over, once I wake up."

Natasha nodded in understanding. While deep in her heart, she missed Bruce… she had to accept that he might never come back. But Bucky still had a chance…

She then looked sadly as Steve and Bucky were talking about this being for everyone's good before Bucky entered the cryochamber and went into sleep.

* * *

**_Two years later, New Avengers Facility_ **

As most of the Avengers reunited after Vision and Wanda had been attacked by Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive, Bruce approached them all.

"I think you look great. Yeah, I'm back." He said as everyone looked at him surprised, mostly Natasha, who smiled. _While there still were some feelings… he had left her for three years…_

"Hi, Bruce." Natasha smiled.

"Nat." Bruce said uncomfortably.

"This is awkward." Sam muttered as Vision was leaning onto him and Wanda, still injured from the fight with Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive.

* * *

Natasha and Bruce went somewhere private as she smacked him on his cheek. "OK, I had that one coming."

"You left me. Three years, Bruce. I thought you were dead." Natasha sneered. "How could you?!" She demanded, heartbroken.

Bruce sighed, feeling guilty, mainly because during those three years, Hulk had the control over him. "I know there's no excuse for what I did, except for the Hulk. Nat, I wasn't in control, I'm so sorry."

Natasha sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just that… when you were gone, I had to move on with my life. Keep on going. And… you weren't around and…"

"What are you saying?" Bruce asked but already knowing the answer.

"What we had before… I don't feel that anymore." Natasha said. "And honestly, I don't think I will ever again."

"What do you mean?" Bruce asked, confused. "You found someone else?"

Natasha sighed, not saying the answer but the look in her eyes told Bruce everything he needed to know as he felt heartbroken but knowing that he had brought this on himself.

* * *

**_Later, Wakanda_ **

The Quinjet landed in Wakanda as T'Challa accompanied Steve, Bruce, Sam, Wanda, Vision and Natasha as Bucky showed up and Natasha rushed to him and kissed him fiercely as she smiled, tears filling her eyes.

"I knew you'd come back from it."

Bucky hugged Natasha tightly as he returned the kiss. "I'm glad to see you too, Nat."

He then said his ' _hellos_ ' to Steve, Sam, T'Challa, Vision and Wanda before the Avengers and Wakandian army prepared for Thanos' assault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kept on thinking how would I do this but I honestly ran out of ideas and I wasn't planning on making this story long anyway. And I honestly would rather if MCU had gone with Bucky/Natasha pairing like in comic books than Bruce/Natasha, which was forced and out of the sudden and they don't have any chemistry whatsoever, since Bucky and Natasha would have been a more logical pairing.
> 
> So, what do you guys think?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this story from its beginning to its end.
> 
> With regards
> 
> Bl4ckHunter


End file.
